Cuff link



March 2,1, 1950 ROWAN 2,501,618

I CUFF LINK Filed March 15, 1945 ENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 21, 1950 CUFF LINK Albert Joseph Rowan, Pawtuxet, R. 1., assignor to Taunton Pearl Works, a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 15, 1945, Serial No. 582,859

4 Claims.

This invention relates in which one of the heads is movable for easier insertion through the buttonhole of a cuff after which the head may be moved so that the link can not return through the buttonhole to become dislodged from position in the cuff.

In the use of cufi links of the type here referred to, considerable wear occurs from movement of the cuff link head from one position to another and when excessive wear occurs the link head will not maintain itself in the definite position in which it is desired the same shall be located for insertion into the buttonhole of the cuff or in a position to block removal from the buttonhole of the cufi.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide the mounting for a movable head so'that the parts which undergo wear may be formed of harder material.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pivoting member and locking rib of the same piece of material which may be formed harder than the remaining material of the head if desired.

Another object of this invention is to provide a simple, efiicient, and strong means of attaching the shank of the cuff link to the fixed head.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the cufi link showing in dotted lines one of the heads moved into the position for insertion into the buttonhole of a cuff;

Fig. 2 is a view at rig-ht angles to the showing in Fig. l and with the fixed head in section;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the movable head with a mounting member removed;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the mounting member alone:

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5--5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a view of one of the arms looking at the inner surface thereof;

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of the fixed head;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the collar which when attached to the fixed head receives the shank.

In proceeding with this invention I provide a shank formed of spaced arms, these arms being brought together and secured to a fixed head at one end while the arms are spaced and pivotally mount a movable head at the other end, the head being so arranged that it may swing between the to a cuff link of the type I arms in pivotal movement. In order to hold the movable head in certain desired positions, I have formed cruxiform grooves in the arms and have provided ribs on the head so as to lodge in one or the other of the cruxiform grooves and thus be retained in position, the arms are of sumcient resiliency so that they will spread apart while the rib is moving from one position to another and will move toward each other when the groove aligns with the rib to lock the head in position.

With reference to the drawings Ill designates generally the shank, H the fixed head, and I2 the movable head.

The shank It! comprises two identical arms l4 having opposed straight portions l5, inclined portions I6 and anchor portions I. These anchor portions are in contiguous relation, as shown in Fig. 2, and are fixedly secured to the head I I.

The head ll consists of a disc-like member I 8 flanged as at I 9 for the reception of an ornament 2!]. An opening 2| is provided centrally of this head with marginal walls 22 extending upwardly at an angle of 45. A collar, designated generally 23 and consisting of side walls 24 forming an opening 25 of the size and shape to snugly fit the anchor portion I! of the shank. has its walls flared outwardly as at 25 to lie along the inclined portion 22 of the head. This collar is assembled with the head and the anchor portion IT are inserted in the collar and these three parts all soldered together as at 21 and 28 so as to firmly fix the head and shank together.

At the end portion 3!! of the straight portion 15 of each of the shanks, a cruxiform groove is formed by reason of a groove 3! extending longitudinally of the arm and a groove 32 extending laterally of the arm while an opening 33 is provided at the point of crossing through the arm which opening is generally circular in shape.

The head l2 has an opening 35 extending through it in the shape best shown in Fig. 3. This opening, however, is for the reception of a member 36 shown in perspective in Fig. 4 which consists of a bar 31 with trunnions 38 extending from either end. This bar 3'! is placed in the opening 35 with its edges in the square notches 39 having a fit sufiiciently snug so that the bar will not move in the head. The end portions of the bar 31 protrude beyond the sides of the head l2 as shown in Fig. 5 and provide ribs 41.! extending longitudinally of the head. These ribs are chisel shape and may lodge in either the groove 3| or the groove 32 which are also V-shape to fit the ribs while the trunnions extend into the openings 33 to pivotally mount the head between the arms.

As the head is moved from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 about its pivotal mounting the ribs act as a cam to force the arms apart as they are moved to a new location and as soon as the ribs align with the slots 3| the arms will move toward each other so that the ribs will enter these slots and maintainthe head in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

By the use of a separate member 35, such as shown in Fig. 4, this member may be made of harder material than the head to better withstand the wear caused by its camming action to spread the arms apart as the head is moved from one position to another. Should this part become worn it may be driven from the head and a new part substituted.

I claim:

1. A cufi link comprising a pair of heads with a shank connecting said heads, said shank comprising a pair of spaced arms, one of said heads being pivotally mounted in said arms and means to retain said head in position in a line with said arms or in a position at right angles thereto, comprising cruxiform grooves in one of said arms and a flat bar with V-shaped ends having trunnions protruding beyond said V-shaped ends inserted in said head to enter either of the grooves in one direction or at right angles thereto, said (bar being of stock harder than said head.

2 A cuff link as set forth in claim 1 wherein both arms are provided with said cruxiform grooves and ribs are provided on either side of said head to engage said grooves.

3. A cuff link as set forth in claim 1 wherein said arms are resilient and are flexed apart as movement occurs of said head from one position to the other.

4. A cufi link as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pivotal mounting of the head in said arms is by means of said bar extending through said head providing trunnions either side thereof.

ALBERT JOSEPH ROWAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,026,153 Degner, Jr. May 14,1912 1,518,989 Lindsay Dec.'9, 1924 2,052,437 Anderson et a1 Aug. 25, 1936 2,097,373 Hoechele Oct. 26, 1937 2,148,183 Bagnall Feb. 21, 1939 2,149,132 Carlson Feb. 28, 1939 2,270,677 Cronan Jan. 20, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 304,107 Great Britain Jan. 17, 1929 

